1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine. The present invention also relates to an image forming system provided with the image forming apparatus. The present invention further relates to a method of private printing using the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
In recent years, image forming apparatuses having a box function have been gaining popularity. Such an image forming apparatus is typically configured to provide each user with a storage area called as a “personal box” (also referred to as a “private box”) based on the box function. In this case, each user is able to store his or her document data such as image data and text data in the user's own personal box.
Furthermore, image forming apparatuses provided with the functions of a scanner, facsimile, printer, network connection and the like have become increasingly multi-functional. Such a multi-functional image forming apparatus is referred to as a multifunction peripheral or MFP. When the user causes the image forming apparatus to execute a job using a predetermined function, job data indicating the content of the job is stored in the “personal box” described above.
There is a private print function as one of the functions utilizing the box function. When an image forming apparatus provided with the private print function receives job data from a terminal device such as a personal computer (PC) connected to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus temporarily stores identification information of a transmission source (e.g., user ID) in the box along with the job data. Then, when the identification information of the transmission source is inputted via an operating unit provided to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus reads the job data corresponding to the identification information from the box and executes image formation based on the job data. This allows only the originating user who transmitted the job data to acquire an outputted matter (printed matter) based on the job data. In other words, even if the image forming apparatus and the terminal device as the transmission source of the job data are disposed at positions distant from each other, the outputted matter will not be seen by other users. Therefore, the image forming apparatus can improve security relating to confidentiality of the printed matter.
However, image forming apparatuses provided with the private print function have a problem in that, if identification information of a legitimate user is stolen before the legitimate user knows, a different user can abuse the private print function by illegitimately using the identification information of the transmission source and impersonating the legitimate user.
As a technique for solving such a problem, for example, there is disclosed an image processing apparatus capable of accepting a job that is a process to be executed via an operation to an operating unit, as well as from a PC or the like via a network. The image processing apparatus is provided with an authentication recording means in which a user ID, a password, identification information of the PC that the user uses, and an e-mail address of the user are recorded; a means for determining whether or not the user ID and the password that have been inputted match the user ID and the password that are recorded in the authentication recording means when a user ID and password are inputted in response to an authentication request, and for outputting authentication if it is determined to match; a means for discriminating whether or not the user ID and the password that have been inputted are supplied from the user PC recorded in the authentication recording means; and a mail transmission means for notifying, in response to the facts that the discriminating means has discriminated that the user ID and the password have been supplied from other than the user PC and that the authentication has been outputted, the e-mail address recorded in the authentication recording means that the authentication has been made and of the accepted job.
This allows the legitimate user to immediately know of illegitimate use of the image processing apparatus by impersonation via e-mail.
On the other hand, according to the box function utilized by the private print function, job data (e.g., document data) that is once saved in the personal box is only editable (accessible) by limited users (e.g., the owner of the personal box and an administrator) in view of security and data integrity. Therefore, there is a problem in that a user who utilizes the private print function cannot willingly transmit and save one's own job data to and in a personal box of another user.
As a technique for solving such a problem, for example, there is disclosed an access management system capable of managing the right of access to data recorded in a storage device. The access management system is provided with a record controlling means for recording assigned data in a storage device, the assigned data being assigned by a user logged in the access management system to another user; and an access right managing means for, when the assigned data is recorded in the storage device, assigning the right of access to the assigned data to both of the user who has assigned the assigned data and the another user whom the assigned data is assigned, and for erasing the right of access to the user when the user logs out from the access management system.
According to this technique, even when a user transmits and saves data such as document data to and in a box that is not the user's own personal box, both the user as the transmission destination and the originating user can access the data.
However, according to the techniques described above, there is a problem in that the legitimate user is always required to confirm the reception of e-mail, and such reception and confirmation of e-mail is cumbersome.
For example, there is a problem in that, when transmitting and saving job data relating to the private print function to and in another user's personal box using the techniques described above, it takes time and effort for the originating user to receive and confirm e-mail even though the originating user knows the user of the destination.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that control and management of access rights is cumbersome.
For example, there is a problem in that, when transmitting and saving job data relating to the private print function to and in another user's personal box using the techniques described above, the control and management of the access right are carried out even though the originating user rarely accesses the job data; therefore, unnecessary control and management of the right of access are carried out.
The private print function is a highly secure function in which only a user who has transmitted job data to an image forming apparatus can acquire outputted matter of the job data. Due to the high security of the function, in a case in which a user as a representative person of an organization wishes to distribute outputted matter that is outputted using the private print function to a small number of users, for example, the user as the representative person moves to the image forming apparatus and inputs his or her own identification information to have the image forming apparatus output the outputted matter, and distributes the outputted matter to the small number of users. This places too much burden on the user as the representative person of the organization.
Consequently, in a case requiring an urgent action, the user as the representative person informs one of the users as distribution targets (the small number of users) of his or her own identification information and password, and let the informed user as the distribution target to execute the private print and acquire the outputted matter in his or her place. Although informing other users of their own identification information is a least desired action in view of security reasons, there are a number of users as representative persons who take risks in the current situation of the private print function.
In this case, once the identification information and the password are known by another user, it is necessary to reissue identification information and a password to the user as the representative person in order to maintain a level of security, possibly resulting in increased burden as a whole.